After a brief holiday break, condemnation and herbicide use top Sedona City Council’s agenda for its regular meeting Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m.

After a brief holiday break, condemnation and herbicide use top Sedona City Council’s agenda for its regular meeting Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m.

Council hasn’t met for a regular meeting since Dec. 12. Council canceled the Dec. 26 meeting for the holidays.

City staff is asking council to discuss an Authorization to Proceed to Condemnation for property needed to improve the pump station on Morgan Wash.

“We need to do some improvements to it because it’s right on the wash,” City Manager Eric Levitt said.

That particular pump station, according to Levitt, serves all buildings hooked to the sewer on the Hwy. 179 corridor.

Two land parcels are needed to make desired improvements — Oak Creek Mobile Lodge and 177 Copper Cliffs Lane — Levitt said.

The mobile lodge and Copper Cliffs parcel would give the city additional land on each side of the wash.

The city does plan to first negotiate a price with property owners, according to Levitt.

“Condemnation would be a last resort,” Levitt said.

City staff is asking council to grant the authorization because it is needed before the negotiation process can begin, Levitt said.

Condemnation occurs if the land owner and city cannot agree on a price for the property.

At that time, the city must prove the use is for a public purpose. Which, Levitt said, he believes is true of the pump station improvement.

Herbicide use — a sensitive subject — is on Tuesday’s agenda as well, Levitt said.

In early fall 2006, concerned citizens asked council to consider not using herbicides or pesticides on city landscaping.

Council approved a 120-day test period during which herbicides and pesticides were not used.

Levitt and city staff recommend reinstatement of herbicides and pesticides on a scaled-back basis.

Under the new recommended policy, herbicides and pesticides would be used eight months out of the year — March through October.

Levitt said since use has been discontinued, more weeds have grown in certain areas and maintenance costs increased.

If council decides not to accept city staff’s recommendation, Levitt said there is another option. Council can limit use of herbicides or pesticides to once prior to instillation of weed-preventing fabric laid beneath landscaping.

Concern arose after the city began using herbicides and pesticides on a regular schedule, Levitt said.

When use increased, Levitt said the city notified the community, which created concern about the use of weed-killing products.

Wednesday, Jan. 10, is the council’s first work session since Dec. 13.

Formation of a Regional Workforce Housing Commit-tee is on Wednesday’s work session agenda.

Council will discuss work session items and may offer direction.

Normally, action is not taken.